


Within Spirits

by denixvames



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:53:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26897734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denixvames/pseuds/denixvames
Summary: Cursed with their fates, Dan and Phil find themselves scared and confused. They have no choice but to dig deeper into a truth they never knew. While on this journey of self discovery, the two meet other people like them who can transform too. These best friends will try to find their own history through the unique species while a great enemy vows to kill them before they can stop his plans.
Kudos: 1





	1. Wrong Side Of The Bed

Dan tried to fight it. His hands were shaking. It felt like an hour when he opened his eyes. He couldn't move. His lungs gasped for air. Something forced him to look back. A blue glowing orb floated. Looming over him. "I chose you since the day you were born. You chose me. There was no decision made. We were always meant to be connected." Dan's head was shaking. His hands pressed against the bed. Barely lifting him. He breathed in. His eyes widen. An invisible force slammed him down. "Do not be afraid. I am neither friend nor foe. I am whatever you wish to think of me." This isn't real! It's in my head! "I'm afraid for your sake that this is indeed real. And I am here."

The orb flew inside him. He gasped. His eyes glowed yellow. He threw himself off the bed. Rolling over as he hit the floor. He clutched his chest. "Phil!" His bones cracked and contorted. Sharp teeth replaced his dull set. His eyes changed from a dark oak wood to the sun above. He looked at his hands. His nails became claws. Like that of a feline's. He groaned. Dropping to his knees. "Phi..."

Phil yawned. He couldn't sleep after that nightmare related to yet another horror game they had played recently. Since it was around December, he figured to make himself a cup of hot chocolate. He headed to the kitchen where he began the process with the use of a coffee maker. With the now filled mug of steaming warm marshmallow-on-top cocoa, he was ready to head back to his room and enjoy every last sip. His eyes lit up to a thud. He turned. "Phil!" "Dan?!" He walked over to Dan's room. Switching a light on. He stopped to knock when something banged against the door. Moving it like an earthquake. The door came crashing down with plenty of claw marks to make Phil freeze in place. He dropped his mug. The floor was stained with the sweet chocolatey drink. Pieces of the mug laid near his feet. A black panther stood before him. Its teeth snarled. It growled menacingly. Eyes filled with hatred.

He didn't see blood anywhere on the animal. Dan could have jumped out the window but that meant.... "Dan.." All he could think about was the loss of his friend. He had known him for years. They were close enough to know many things about the other person. Especially when he needed him most and when Dan needed him. So, he stood there. Waiting for the worst with tears in his eyes. The panther slowly walked to him. Phil fell back. Letting the floor consume his grief. He felt the animal crawl up to him till he saw it. It sniffed him. Phil closed his eyes. Not wanting to see the results. A couple of seconds later, he opened his eyes to find himself looking into the eyes of a panther. He could read its face. A sign of familiarity. Slowly, the face of the panther morphed. Turning back to its original form. "Dan?" His friend collapsed. Phil sat up. He shook him. "Dan! Wake up!" Dan was breathing heavily. "What's happening?" He checked his temperature. Placing his hand over his forehead. "You're sweating! How are you getting a fever like this?"  
He shook his head. "Whatever. It doesn't matter. I'm going to help you, Dan." He half dragged him back into his room. Placing him on the bed. He sighed. Dan had been getting more exercise so it was hard to simply get him from the short distance he had back to his bedroom. There's medicine in the bathroom. That'll do the trick. He walked to the said room. He opened the cabinet. Grabbing a bottle of aspirin. He head into the kitchen for a glass of water then returned back to Dan's room. He set the aspirin and glass on the drawer nearby. Gently, he shook him. "Dan, you have to take some medicine. You'll feel better soon." Phil noticed the stretched out claws. Tufts of black fur sprouted out of random spots of his hands. He was shaking. Mumbling. Fear coated his tone. Phil took his hand. "Dan, you don't have to be afraid. It's me. Phil. I'm right here." His voice had reversed the transformation.

Slowly, Dan opened his eyes. "Phil? Wh-What happened?" "Don't you remember?" "Yes but it had to have been a nightmare. Surely, it must have." Phil squeezed his hand. "You almost killed me." Dan bit his lip. "I wasn't trying to. This weird orb. It went through me. That's when this excruciating pain came." He rubbed his face. "I thought it was sleep paralysis. It should have been." "I'm sure we can figure this out. You still have a fever so take some medicine." "Aren't you scared of me after what I did?" Dan swallowed the pill with a gulp of water. "Did you really think I wasn't? Seeing a wild animal did freak me out but knowing that there's something wrong with you doesn't give me a choice." "Of course you have a choice. Abandoning me." "I could never leave you because I know you would never leave me." Dan grasped the blanket. His lips quivered. "How do you know I won't try to kill you again?" "Because when you heard me, you stopped yourself."


	2. Trip To Nowhere

"I still don't think this is a good idea." Phil was walking with Dan. Both had their luggage. "It's been two weeks since I got stuck in bed. Normally, I wouldn't despise that if it weren't for that stupid fever. A trip is what I need right now. Getting some fresh Germany air might help calm everything down." "Well, alright. I'm going to keep an eye on you." "You've been doing that anyway." Dan was the next person to step through the metal detector. He saw a blurry employee. He blinked. The man's face fazed in and out.  
Phil watched the employee catch him. "Dan!" He ran over. The employee set him on the floor. He radioed in for an ambulance. "Dan! Dan!" He shook him. "Wake up! Don't do this again!" "Somebody get him out of here!" shouted the employee. Security forced Phil away as paramedics swarmed in. "Dan! Dan, open your eyes! Please!" He struggled against security's hold. "Dan!"

It was cold. The whole room was white. Everything was simple and clean. Nothing stood out except for Dan who was sleeping in a hospital bed. There was a vase filled with Yellow Acacias' on the drawer. Phil picked at the rim of the paper cup. He got himself some coffee but couldn't drink it. He didn't feel like eating either. He set the cup near the vase. You insist on trying to leave because of myself entering your body. What you do not understand is that your fate was foretold many centuries ago. I am your aid through this battle. Your life's mission. You must not frightened your friend or aggravate yourself. Your self control will be gone if you do. Make sure he is prepared as well. Dan opened his eyes. Phil's eyes widen. "Dan!" He threw himself on him. Holding him tight. Their embrace parted. Phil sat down. "You scared me, you know that? I didn't know what to do when I saw you pass out like that." "I'm sorry, Phil. I wished I knew I was going to but the signs weren't there." Dan glanced at the bouquet. Phil shrugged. "Everything always look dead in hospitals."

"I appreciate the gift, Phil." He smiled. "But there's something important that I have to tell you." "What is it?" Dan swallowed. "I...I think something wants us to stay in the city. The orb." He brought his hand against his own chest. "That sounds crazy." "Crazier than me turning into a panther and almost devouring you?" "You have a point. So, this orb is going to keep us here. Why?" said Phil. "When I was dreaming, it told me that I had a mission. That I have to prepare you for the battle." "Well, that doesn't sound good. We don't even fight." "I know but I can't help but feel like we really need to do this." "Dan, do you even know what you're saying?" "I'm scared too. Still, if you want us to take trips then we're going to have to accomplish this task. Whatever that is." "I'm only doing this for you. Not for the trips." "Phil, you should be joining me while thinking about everyone else." Phil scrunched up his jeans with his balled up fists. "I just want to get you out of this mess. I don't want to lose you." Dan got off the bed. Phil stared at him.  
"C'mon. We're going to find out about this madness before things get worse." Phil stood. "But we're still in the hospital." "It doesn't matter to us." He grabbed the clothes from the side of his bed. Heading to the bathroom. He came out with a pair of black jeans, a grey t-shirt, and a leather jacket. "Already called an Uber." He grabbed his luggage. Phil followed. "Excuse me. Where are you going? I haven't checked you out." said a doctor. "I had a faint. I'll drink more water from now on." They continued on to the elevator. Leaving the doctor stumped at his stable health. On the bottom floor, they stuffed their luggage in the trunk of the car. Phil sniffed. He glued his eyes on a dog. He wasn't sure but he felt anger when he saw the dog. The animal itself turned to him. Barking. No wonder he didn't like it. This dog was plain rude. How could he tell it was good or not? "Phil!" He blinked. "It's time to leave." "Ok." They got in the backseat.

Back at home, Dan was the first to speak. "I saw you glaring at that dog. You knew it wasn't likeable." "It was a gut feeling." "Your nostrils flared like an animal's." Phil crossed his arms. "I'm not going to be like whatever you are. I have to be normal." "Unfortunately, it's the truth." "Who got to decide our lives? Because we never picked this! We made our careers skyrocket with our fanbase! None of us were meant to be so called warriors!" "I get that, Phil! I do. Yet, you saw everything. We don't get a choice." There was a knock on the living room door. "Someone's in the house!" Dan pulled out his phone. Ready to call the police. Claws damaged the door. Taking it down in a few seconds. A man in a trench coat had a doggish nose. As he snarled, his canine teeth were visible. His eyes were green. "So, there you are! The chosen Beasts!"


	3. Warriors Of Nature

"Dan! Call the police!" The wolfman glared. He ran to them. Aiming for Dan. Phil jumped in front of him. He threw him aside. Making him hit the fridge. "Phil!" Dan hit the third nine on his phone. The wolfman swiped the phone out of his hand. It hit the wall. Breaking on impact. He wrapped his hand around his neck. Lifting him off his feet. Dan tried to push him back. Kicking his feet in the air. Flailing wildly in a state of panic. His grip grew tight. Dan gasped. He glanced at a knocked out Phil. There was a small trail of blood coming from a cut on the side of his head. He stopped. He gripped his wrist. Squeezing hard. He glared. His eyes became yellow. Sharp teeth formed in his mouth. "You hurt him." The wolfman's eyes widen. He was taken aback by Dan's strength. He found his hand being pushed back. Dan landed on the floor. He twisted his wrist. Coming close to his breaking point. Thinking fast, the wolfman kicked him. Out of his grip, he grabbed Dan. Aiming him against the coffee table.

Dan turned over before he had a chance. He pulled him forward. Punching him. He stood and slammed his shoe on his back. Breaking the coffee table. The wolfman rolled aside. Dan felt the strong vibrations of his shoe coming into contact with the broken table. "Fuck!" The wolfman ran off. Heading to the front door. Dan heard it slam shut. "Phil!" He ran over. "Phil, can you hear me?" He listened closely for a heart beat. When he heard him breathe, he carried him to the couch. "I've got to do something about this." He took Phil's phone and dialed 999.

Paramedics looked over Phil. An officer questioned Dan. Phil groaned. Immediately, they turned. Slowly, he sat up. Dan hugged him. "It's good to see you're awake." Phil lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry, Dan. I thought I could stop him." He faced him. His cheeks had a shade of embarrassment. "I made things worse." "No, you didn't. You tried to protect me but you should worry about yourself too." The officer stuffed his notepad and pen away. "I think that's enough. We'll leave you two." "Thank you, officer." said Dan. The paramedics left with the few officers that were there. "Did you told them everything?" said Phil. "Well, of course not. I just made the part about you being thrown in the air a lot more realistic." He smiled. "That was a video game thing." Dan picked up the pieces of his phone. "What are we going to do? We can't possibly find him anywhere." "The internet might give us some answers." "The internet? Really, Phil?" "Ever heard of a skin walker?" "What?" "Exactly."

Phil set his laptop on the kitchen counter. He opened it. Quickly, he typed in some keywords. "Shapeshifter?" said Dan. "When we saw him, he wasn't like that. Not really." He typed in his own idea of what the wolfman could be. "Power animals?" He clicked on the third link. "It says that there's a difference between spirit and power animals. Yet, the section where it talks about power animals says that they can be called spirit animals." "So, a spirit animal connects to its chosen human and bonds with them? This would have sounded cool if it weren't for the werewolf who broke in." said Phil. "Spirit animals. We know what those are now. That still doesn't tell us where he is." "Maybe you can catch his scent." "I'm not a dog!" said Dan. "Well, no. But you are a panther." "I don't think you know how panthers are." "Just try." Dan rolled his eyes but he went over to the broken coffee table.

Bending down, he took a moment. Sniffing every inch of the table. "I do smell something foul but there's no trail to follow. Dogs can do that." "Maybe if we put ourselves out in the open, he'll follow us. You smell him if he's near." "We? I'm not putting you in danger." "It's either nothing or we try." Dan crossed his arms. Phil sighed. "Dan, I know that you want me to stay safe but I'm not a child anymore. You can't treat me like one. I'm an adult. I get to decide whether or not I want to do something stupid. And if this seems dumb to you-" "It doesn't. You're right though." Dan opened one of the drawers in the kitchen. He pulled out a flashlight. "But if anything happens, you have to run." "You want me to leave you?" "One of us will be able to call for help." "I'll do it then." "Normally, I would be offended but this isn't make believe." "Let's get ourselves ready for the winter season at least." said Phil.

Coming out of his room, he had a galaxy jacket on. "People are going to know it's you. We're trying to not be seen!" "Wait a second." Phil came back with a dark green one. Dan was still wearing his cotton black long jacket. He pulled his hood over. Phil did the same. Outside, they walked casually until they reach an alley way. Heading deeper inside, Dan switched the flashlight on. "I never thought we would be doing this." said Phil. "Honestly, I wish this was a nightmare." He sniffed. "Anything?" "No but-" There was a subtle bit of rustling. He raised his hand. Signaling Phil to stay quiet who froze. Dan took a step closer. The flashlight fell out of his hand. It rolled until its light aimed directly at the wolfman who, earlier, had swat the tool out of his grasp. He growled. "You! Why did you break into our apartment?" The wolfman climbed up a metal fence. "C'mon Phil!" He took his hand.

"I can't climb!" "I'll make you!" Dan lifted him up. "There are spikes!" "Just avoid them! Now hurry!" Phil stretched out his leg. Putting it over then brought the other leg on his side. His feet hit the ground. He stood back. Dan hopped over the fence. They ran straight ahead.


	4. Unstable Pack

Dan could only ever see a flash of his coat. The wolfman was moving so fast that he was surprised he could even see him at all. The wolfman transformed into his animal. Climbing up a wall. "Are you kidding me?!" "Can we do that too?" "There's only one way to find out." Dan turned into a panther. Taking a leap of faith, he ran to the wall. Phil watched him reach the rooftop. "What am I if I can do that too?" He closed his eyes. Please. Whatever I have in my soul, guide me to Dan. He heard a voice. You are wrong. You always know where he is, where he will go. You do not need anyone to help you find your companion. Phil opened his eyes. He felt the world grow a bit shorter in height. Quickly, he came to realize that he was a lion. Following the connection of his soul and Dan's, he followed.

He reached the top where a cheetah and lynx stood next to the wolf. Phil turned back into his human form. He stood in between them. "Stop it! Just tell us why you want to kill us!" The lynx became a dyed blonde woman. She had dark red lips, an olive green coat, black top, and skirt with boots. The cheetah was another woman with long brown hair, a blue sweater, and purple jeans. The blonde woman spoke. "When architects began to discover historical artifacts, they found a large stone that had been hidden for centuries. Written in this stone says of a story about a panther and lion. The panther is said to hold great darkness. That he was once lost. However, the lion found him. With his purity, he helped the panther open a path to happiness. And together, the two will destroy a wolf filled with great evil. However, there are two possibilities to our futures. The stone also spoke of a traitor. One that was once clouded by darkness who now stands with purity. Yet, it is a possibility that he will kill his own companion and join the wolf and his army."  
"Two predictions?" "Everyone is imperfect. The oracle is the same like us." said the brown haired woman. "This still doesn't mean that Dan will join your pack!" "We're not saying he will but we will not object to his coming. That is why killing him will give us a chance to start a new life. One where spirit animals don't have to hide away in dark corners of this world. Zeke wanted to kill you for sport." said the blonde woman. "We don't want to be a part of this. We just want to go back to our regular lives. Entertaining people with our weirdness." "It isn't that simple. Either you kill our pack or we will continue to come after your companion." Zeke pounced. He roared. Dan jumped in front of him. Zeke clawed at him. Knocking him on Phil. He transformed. Walking on two feet, he loomed over a crying Phil who held the black panther close. "C'mon Zeke! You killed him! The lion must tell our story!"

Phil faced him. He glared. For a moment, his eyes flashed a golden brown. His lips twitched. Zeke ran off with his friends. The black panther changed into his original. Dan Howell. His jacket was ripped from the bleeding claw marks on his side. "Dan! Dan! I know you're awake!" Dan's head turned at his frantic shaking. "We can't be apart. You of all people should know that." He held him close. His head leaned against his. "I need you." A sudden glow came from his chest. It expanded. Surrounding them. Within seconds, the wound healed. All evidence of it was only the bloody ripped jacket. The panther is said to hold great darkness. That he was once lost. However, the lion found him. With his purity, he helped the panther open a path to happiness. Dan was breathing. Phil's eyes widen. "You're...I...I brought you back to life?" Dan opened his eyes. "Phil? He didn't hurt you, did he?" "No. You saved me." He looked around. "Where did they go?" "They ran off. I guess their plans weren't the best under these circumstances." "Probably." said Dan.  
"We still have to get off the roof." said Phil. "We can run off the walls like before." "I can but you need to rest. After what happened, you seem more exhausted than me." "Phil, I-" "Don't even think about apologizing. You've done nothing wrong. Now, hop on." Becoming a lion, he meowed. Dan pushed his hands against the ground. Phil nudged himself under him. Dan sat over him. His arms wrapped around his neck. He held on. The wind blew past him. "I had a nightmare that you were sobbing over my body." Phil continued to run past many obstacles. "I don't know what it means for me or you but I want you to know that I can't imagine a life without you."

The apartment was still a mess. They worked on cleaning it up to get their minds off of the incident on the rooftop. Dan entered his room. Phil was right behind him. "I'm going to bed." "I know." Dan read his face. "Phil, I appreciate your concern but I'll be safe." "I'm scared, Dan. What if something like this happens again but much worse? I think I should sleep here too." "If it'll make you feel better-" "Feel better?! Aren't you concerned about all this?!" "Of course I am! But overreacting like this isn't going to help." Hot tears threatened to burst from Phil's eyes. "I watched you die! Overreacting isn't a part of this!" Dan was taken aback. "What?"


	5. Take A Seat

Phil clenched his fists. "When you saved me, Zeke injured you. Badly. You bled to death. The promise I said yes to before about me running off for help? I never thought about it because I couldn't believe that you were really dead. Right in front of me. Because I can't imagine a life without you either." Dan hugged him. Phil closed his eyes. Imagining that no one in the entire world wanted to kill them. That everything was fine. Focusing on the man who he would never stop cherishing. He melted in the embrace. The warmth filled his legs with jelly. He fell fast asleep. Dan helped him to the bed. He locked the door. He climbed into bed. He smiled at a dainty sleeper. "Good night, Phil."

Dan yawned. The alarm clock read 12:10 PM. "Phil." "Hmm?" Phil turned over to his side. Facing him. "It's the middle of the day." "No pancakes?" Dan smiled. "I can make an exception today." He got off the bed. Phil sat up. "Actually, I wanted to help with the mixing." "I don't see why not." They went into the kitchen. Gathering the materials and ingredients, the mixing bowl was soon filled with a pale mush that was becoming individual slices of pancakes. "You know Phil, I didn't ask yesterday because we were too exhausted for whatever bullshit was left but you told me that I died in front of you." "Yes?" "How was I brought back?" Phil caught his breath. "I'm not sure. I was crying. There was a light. It kept getting bigger. And that's when I saw you waking up." He opened the fridge for some butter and whipped cream. "You literally brought me back?" "I assumed but I really don't know. It doesn't matter because I'm not going to go through that again."

"I can promise that I won't let you." Phil set up the plates on the kitchen counter. Dan danced his fingers against his side. Phil laughed. "Dan! Stop it! You have to watch the pancakes!" "Why? They're not going to get burnt." Phil rushed over to the last pancake that was on the pan. Dan rested his chin on his shoulder. Phil giggled. "What?" "What do you mean 'what'? I'm happy! And you made me happy." Dan placed the silverware on folded napkins for each of them. "When we first met, I was really depressed. Yet, there was something about you that made me want to see you. In that moment, I knew I was making myself vulnerable to someone whom I started to trust everything about myself. You helped me overcome my obstacles. The two of us built something together. And I'm not going to let a mutt or his army destroy that." "They think you're dead. Wouldn't it be better to hide?" Phil set the last pancake on the pile of other pancakes which sat on a big plate. He grabbed a bottle of syrup from one of the top cabinets.

"Hiding isn't an option. They're going to stay alive for who knows how long. And I can't pretend that I'm dead. It would devastate our fans. We both know that you are the worse liar anyway." "Harsh but you're right. Just lying to them would make me feel awful." They sat on the stools. Decorating the pancakes on their plates with the toppings that were laid out as options. "What are we going to do then?" "What we always do. Make videos and edit them until we collapse. If they want to fight again then they'll send a message instead. You don't go to the same place twice to kill someone." "That's a good point but what if he does?" Dan cut into his syrupy buttered pancakes which were topped with sweet whipped cream. "Then he's an idiot."

He chewed. In between munching, he spoke. "What if I leave? I can just post on all of my social media that I have different plans for the future ahead and you can explain to them something believable when you make the video. That way, you're safe and you don't have to worry about me." "Dan, how could you say that? I would constantly worry about you. You use to run off whenever you were in a bad mood. I couldn't stop thinking about it. What makes you think that I could ever let you go?" He slammed his fist against the counter. Letting the fork hit. "Why are you so insistent on being with me?!" "Because you need me and I need you! Because I was nothing before you!" "What are you talking about? You were a lot more confident than me when it came to making videos!" "Yeah but not social interactions. I would have never done any of those tours or events if you hadn't been there." said Phil. Dan sighed. "Alright. So, it's safe to say that we should deal with this problem head on."

Phil shook his head. "Why do you have to make this such a big deal? I get that they want you dead but you keep acting like you're the only one here who has to deal with this." "You're right. I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you get hurt again." "I saw you die and brought you back to life like some mystical god. I think me getting hurt is the least of our problems." "That's the thing. I think us as spirit animals has made us more stronger." said Dan. "Easy for you to say." He brushed Phil's bandaged cut. "I guess it all depends on the wound. Enough about that though." He grabbed a camera from the shelf. "Let's make a video." Phil smiled.


	6. Leap Of Faith

Dan sighed. The video was finally uploaded. Soon, everyone would see that they were alive and well. Rumors had already spread about their possible deaths. He had dealt with plenty of rumors before but this was reaching a line. Phil set a cup of tea on the table. Dan held a small smile. "Thanks, Phil." He took a sip. It was cold. "That cup has been sitting there since you started editing. I gave it to you two hours ago." "Two hours?" He rubbed his head. Phil closed the laptop. "Maybe we should go out. It wouldn't hurt." "One of Zeke's members might find us. They'll try to kill us." "But I have you, don't I?" Dan smirked. "Yeah, you do." He stood. "Alright. I'll go get my jacket."

The café had dim lights. Baked goods littered the area with a sweet warm smell which made Dan shiver delightfully. Customers were conversing as if they were in a library. He took a sip of coffee from the small cup that was sitting on its own plate. "You brought me to a café?" "It was better than a museum." "I wouldn't have mind going to a museum." "Oh? Really?" said Phil who flustered. He scratched the back of his head. Dan smiled. "Phil, you know me better than anyone." "I do. I won't disagree but I can't concentrate on trying to have a simple day. Especially when we're asking to be seen." "Do you see yourself staying indoors all day long? We would go mad." Phil was defeated. "You do have a good point." Dan gripped the handle of his cup. Phil read his face. "What?" "The next table. To my left." Phil's eyes moved to that direction. "Don't look." He kept staring at Dan. His body was tense. "What do we do?" "You can look." "Why?" "Just look." said Dan. Phil hesitantly turned.

A pale man with black slicked hair was holding an opened newspaper. A cup of coffee sat near with a plate of strawberry cheesecake in front of him. A golden eye dangled from his ear. He wore a tan coat and pants. A black neck sweater snuck under. He had an eyepatch over his right eye. Phil's body began to sweat. He swallowed. He wanted to move. Wanted to get out of his sight. However, he felt as though the man was keeping him from looking away. He barely notice the quick change of his blue eye which had a black slit in the middle of a red iris. A hand touched his. Free from whatever hold he had on him, Phil faced Dan. "I want to leave." They got up from their table. Leaving the café. "He will follow us. We have to lead him somewhere away from everyone else." "Let me guess? Another alley way." said Phil. "We don't really have anywhere else to go in London." "Let's just get this over with."

The man had walked a good distance between them. He turned to the alley where they headed. "Hey!" He turned. Dan punched him. Phil jumped on his back. He wrapped his arms around his neck. Pulling him back. The man high kicked Dan. Knocking him off his feet. He grabbed Phil by his collar. Flipping him over. Phil groaned. He had hit the grimy concrete ground hard. Dan pulled him up. The man clutched their necks. Shoving them against the brick wall. "Now, we can have a proper conversation." His S's were somewhat longer. As he opened his mouth to talk, it was clear that his tongue was split apart. His yellow eye came back.

"A conversation? You have our throats!" said Dan. "You were attacking me." "We thought you were going to kill us!" said Phil. "Kill you?" He let them go. He laughed. Dan and Phil pat their necks for any marks. "Oh no! I came to make a deal." "A deal? Aren't you one of Zeke's?" said Dan. "In a way, yes. But I like to do things my way sometimes." "What do you want?" said Phil. "You." His eyes widen. "Me?" "You intrigue me in ways you can't possibly imagine. I would love to keep you." Dan stood in front of Phil. "You're not taking him!" "But you haven't even heard about my offer." "I don't care!" He held his hand. "Phil is my friend! I won't let you hurt him!" The man saw something in his eyes. A look he had only seen when he once killed a couple. He smiled. "Phil, is it? My name is Baem and you must be Dan." "How do you know my name?"

"Unlike the others, I like to explore my media surroundings." He took a step closer. They backed up. "Face it, Dan. They won't stop looking for you. You've already been seen. But if you give him to me now then I can help get you a ticket to New Zealand where I own a nice little cabin in the woods. It can be yours. No one would bother you." "No one?" "Dan!" "You have my word." Dan walked forward. "Dan! Please!" Dan tackled Baem. "Run!" Afraid and confused, Phil ran off. He stepped into a road. A car almost hit him. The driver slammed their hand on the horn. He stood behind a tree near an apartment complex. He watched some men carry Dan into a limo. They drove off. "I'll find you, Dan. I will."


	7. Sly Invitation

Baem held a glass of red wine. He drank a sip. "What a beautiful view." He set his glass on a cup holder where the other empty glasses were. Dan's hands were tied behind him. He slept on the seat across from him. "Such a waste of this precious gift." He caressed his cheek. Dan squirmed. He mumbled. "Shh. Don't worry yourself. It's only me." He twirled a curl of his hair. "Phil...." A tear left Dan's eye. Baem smirked. "You are the Beast? How drunk was the oracle?"

Phil was walking everywhere in the apartment. He couldn't think of a plan. He was on his fourth shot of vodka. He had looked through the cabinets for whatever alcohol seemed convenient. There was a knock at the door. He set the possible fifth shot down. He walked to the front door. An envelope sat at his feet. He picked it up. Turning it over, there was an address. He ripped the envelope opened. He pulled out the letter and read.

Dear Phil,  
I would love it if you joined me for lunch. Your dear Danny boy will be there. Just accept the ride outside. You will have no trouble seeing me. Of course, you don't have a choice. I can't wait to see you.  
Sincerely, B

Phil crumpled up the letter. He threw it at the wall. Hot tears were at the brim of his eyes. He clenched his fists. He grit his teeth. Rubbing the tears off, he caught his breath. I won't let you win!

Dan opened his eyes. He lifted his head up. He tried to move. Looking down, he found himself tied on a chair. "I see you're awake." Baem sat at the other end of the table. A glass of scotch in hand. Dan pulled against the ropes. "Stop struggling." Baem walked over to his side. "It'll save us both some precious time." Dan glared. "You kept me alive so you could have him here!" "Would you rather be dead?" "If it meant saving Phil? Yes!" Baem raised a brow. "Interesting." "I don't care about my life if it's going to hurt others!" "Don't play dumb with me." He bent down. Facing him at an equal viewpoint. "I've observed you two. I watched every video. All you can think in that silly head of yours is Phillip Lester." He took a sip. "However, I do not blame you. He is adorable in his naïve world. Something like that can be more entertaining than I might expect." "You won't lay a finger on him while I'm still here!" "Have a drink." He shoved the glass close to his lips. Dan turned his head.

Baem gripped his chin. He forced him to look up. He brought the rim of the glass on his lips. He tilted the glass. Dan caught the liquid. Drinking fast as the scotch kept coming. He coughed. Baem set the glass on the table. Dan saw a blur of colors. "Wha-? What did you....?" "Just something to keep you calm. We wouldn't to make a fuss of things." Their faces were inches from each others'. "People were right about you. You are ravishing." "F-Fuck...off." Baem pressed his lips against his. He kissed slow and squeezed his chin if Dan didn't move his lips. He broke the kiss. He pushed his head. "Not impressed." He punched his stomach. Dan gasped. His eyes widen. His head hung low.

In front of the apartment, there was a car. A man wearing a grey suit opened the door. Phil got in the backseat. The ride was long. Buildings blurred by. Trees came into view. A vast land of grass appeared. In the middle of nature, there was a mansion. The black iron gates opened. The car inched closer to the mansion till they were parked near the small steps leading to the front door. Another man in a butler's uniform had opened the door. Phil got out. "Master Baem has chosen an outfit for you to wear for lunch." He followed the butler inside. A man in a black suit walked over with a gun. "I'll take over from here." "Try not to use that inside. I have to clean everything." "Yeah yeah monkey! Just keep walking." He turned to Phil. "You! Move it." He pushed him forward. "C'mon. We gotta make you look presentable to the boss." Phil reluctantly listened. He was led to a large closet room where a garment suit bag hung on a wall.

"I'll wait outside. Don't try any funny business." Left alone, he unzipped the bag. "That bastard! He knew I wore this with..." He bit his lip. The man near the door had waited long enough in his impatient bubble. He knocked on the door. "Hey! What's happening in there? It shouldn't take an eternity to put on a damn suit!" There was no response. "Hey!" He opened the door. With all the strength he could muster, Phil brought the candle holder down. He heard a crack then a thud. He opened his eyes. The man was on the floor. Knocked out. His gun had slipped from his hand. Phil kicked the weapon away. He ran out with the candle holder gripped tight. A man grabbed it. Phil struggled but couldn't keep a strong hold. Another man stood in front of him with Baem standing there. "You didn't think I wouldn't know? Everyone always underestimates an innocent man but when he's put in dire situations, what can he do?"

Baem smiled. "I see you've put on the suit. I hope you like it." "Where is he?! What did you do to him?!" "Calm down, friend." "We are not friends! I want to see Dan!" "Don't worry. You will see him shortly." "I want to see him now!" Phil punched him. One of the men grabbed him by his hands. Forcing him to raise his arms. The man's grip was suffocating. He could feel his blood leave his hands. He squirmed. Baem straightened his coat. "Now now. Be gentle. I want him to still have fingers." Phil sighed as his hands were free. "With that dramatic scene over, I'm sure we can calmly walk to the dining room." They head to the said room. Phil saw that Dan was tied to the chair. Hunched over and asleep. "Dan!"


	8. Blood Thirsty

Baem walked over to Dan. "Do you hear that?" He grabbed a fistful of his hair. Pulling him back. "It's Beauty." Dan barely opened his eyes. "Phil...?" "Dan, I'm going to get you of this mess! I promise!" "You weren't supposed to....be her...." He fell asleep. "What did you do?" "Nothing that can't be undone." Baem slapped him. "Wake up darling." Dan raised his head up. His eyes widen. He blinked. "Phil! Get out of here!" "Listen to him. He wants you to leave." "I'm not going anywhere, Dan. Not without you." Baem smirked. "Do you know what he told me before you came? He wanted to stay dead so he could keep you from harm's way. You made a mistake in bringing him back." "Dan, is this true?" "Baem! Just take me! He doesn't matter! I never cared about him anyway." Phil's heart sank. Baem smiled. "Really?" "Yeah! Ever since I set my eyes on you, I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Dan never took his gaze off him. His lips slightly parted. He closed his eyes. Baem inched closer. "You are nothing to me." Dan opened his eyes. "Get him!" Two men gripped Phil's arms. Bringing him to their boss. "Get away from him! Please! I'm the Beast!" "As I said before, you can give him to me and I'll let you hide out for the rest of your life. But if you want him to leave then you'll give me the satisfaction of killing you." Dan glared. "Go ahead." "Dan! Don't!" said Phil. A little boy in a suit walked over with a gun in his hand. A gun he had picked up from the dead bodyguard in the walk in closet. All eyes were on him. "There's my son." He took a step back. "Peter, wouldn't you like to pull the trigger?"

Peter raised the weapon. He aimed at Dan. "Phil, I..." Dan met his eyes. Phil nodded. Tears welled up. "I know." He closed his eyes. The shot rang out. The smell of gunpowder hit his nose. He caught his breath. A tear ran down his cheek. He opened his eyes. A shocked looking Baem had blood dripping from the bullet hole in his forehead. He dropped to his knees and fell over. Dan confusingly stared at the boy. "Let him go." Phil could freely move. He rubbed his wrists. "Untie him." Dan stood from the chair. "You killed your father." "He was my father but he showed me what he became. Now that I'm head of the household, I will put an end to this so called prophecy. You two have to kill them or this won't end." "Kill? We can't take do that! Taking a person's life? That's not us! Dan?" Phil turned.

Dan collapsed into a sobbing mess. "They hurt you, Phil! I can't forget that!" Phil helped him stand. "None of that matters anymore. We're alive and safe." "Not for long." "Why not send your men to do the dirty work?" "I would but interfering with problems that don't belong to me will cause a war between the mafias. I can give you their location but that's it." "But-" "I'll do it." said Dan. "What? You never killed anyone! You wouldn't even hurt a fly!" "This group is out to kill us! Do you want to die?" "No but the thought of hurting someone. Even if they're trying to do anything wrong. I just can't imagine blood on my hands." "I won't make you do anything. I can go on my own." "I won't let you do this by yourself!" "Then decide right now!" Phil shook his head. He took his hand. "Please Dan. Don't do this for me."

"Phil, what I said to Baem before, I didn't mean any of it." "I don't blame you for lying." Dan let go. He turned to Peter. "Where are they?" "A warehouse not too far from here. My father used it for deals and some other things. I can have someone drive you there." "I'm coming too then." "I can't let you die!" "You don't get to decide what happens in my life." said Phil. Dan reluctantly stayed quiet. Peter summoned their family driver to take them to the abandoned warehouse. "I can't stay here. Everyone is hoping you will kill them." Dan and Phil stepped on cold mud. Wind whistled through cracks on the walls. "How will he know?" said Dan. "Believe me. He will know." The driver drove off. They turned to the warehouse. "I'm sorry, Phil." "Sorry for what?" Dan pushed him. Knocking him off his feet. He transformed and ran inside. "Dan! Wait!"

Dan entered the abandoned building. He roared. A lynx, cheetah, and wolf jumped from high platforms. Surrounding him at all sides. Zeke pounced on him. Dan fell back. Slamming him against the floor. He shrugged him off. The cheetah threw herself in the air. He ducked. With his teeth, he reached out and bit her neck. Hard. She fell over. Howling. A bloody bite mark didn't keep her down, however. The cheetah shoved him. She loomed above. Phil snuck inside. He never took his eyes off the fight. Zeke sniffed. He growled as he turned. Phil walked backwards until he feels a wall. He looks around. A wooden plank catches his eye. Grabbing it, he raises it high. "G-Get away or else!" Dan heard him. He roared. He rolled over. Pushing her down. With a desperate grip, he ripped her head off. His lips were stained with blood. The lynx roared. She had witness her lover's death.

She lunged at him. He hit the wall. Falling on the floor. His human form came back. The lynx showed her blonde self. She dragged him to the rusty machine which was once used for crushing coals. Phil whacked Zeke. The plank of wood broke in half. Spraying bits of splinter. Zeke looked back. There were barely any cuts. He bounced off his feet. Reaching out with his claws. Phil threw himself aside. He fell face first into dirt. He clutched his bloody arm which had claw marks. He groaned. Coughing up from the dirt that was in his mouth. He forced himself up. He leaned against an old engine. Zeke grabbed him by his shoulder. Turning him. Phil saw his human appearance before blacking out.  
Phil woke up. He tried to move. As his vision cleared up, he found his wrists bound and feet tied. He screamed but it was muffled by duct tape. Zeke gripped a fistful of his hair. "So! The lion awakes. How perfect to watch the panther die at the hands of victory." Dan laid in front of him. The blonde woman stood near with an axe in hand. "You know, originally, we were supposed to kill you too." He smiled. "But you don't seem like much of a threat. We'll keep you as entertainment. Maybe even sell you to those markets." He nodded at her. "Steal the show, Red." She smirked. She raised the axe. He stood back. Phil's muffled screams were ignored. His heart was racing. He had hot tears. A roar echoed. They turned to the lion. Phil slammed her down. The axe flew out of her hand. Landing far. He clawed at her until there was a big bloody mess. Zeke jumped as he transformed. Phil fought back. Dan mumbled. He opened his eyes and sat up. His eyes widen. "Phil?" Zeke's ears perked up. He smiled.

He ran to Dan who quickly stood. Transforming as a human, he ran behind him. He pulled him close. A long sharp nail of his was pressed against his neck. His arm kept him there. Phil transformed too. "Dan!" "Kill him, Phil! You have to!" "Shut up!" Zeke cut into his skin but not deep. Dan flinched. "You want to save him so bad? How about you give me a little dance?" "A what?" "You heard me! Take it all off!" Phil hesitantly pulled his shirt off. His lips quivered. He slightly moved his hips. "Please don-" "Dance!" Fiery rage swam in Dan's eyes. He grabbed his arm. Biting down hard. Zeke screamed. He jumped back. Holding his arm close. Dan punched him off his feet. He got on top of him and rammed as many as punches as he could until Zeke stopped moving. He caught his breath. Phil was shaking. Dan walked over. Phil couldn't look at him. "It's ok. He's dead. They're all dead." Dan picked up the shirt. He dusted it off and placed the design out. Phil raised his arms without hesitation. Dan placed the shirt over him. Phil threw himself at him. "As long as we have each other, everything will be ok?" He looked into his eyes.

Dan leaned his head against his. "I won't ever leave you. I promise." He took his hand. "Let's go home." They walked out of the warehouse. Hand in hand.


End file.
